Putin blogger who was blown up by a bomb hidden in golden statue is laid to rest
Putin propagandist Vladlen Tatarsky was buried today after being killed in a covert bomb attack.
Russia’s most pro-war figures gathered this morning to pay tribute to Mr Tatarsky – the 40-year-old blogger who advocated the murder of all Ukrainians.
Beside his coffin was a sinisterly decorated sledgehammer, presented by Wagner’s private army, which he supported.
Sledgehammers have been used by the group for extrajudicial executions of captured defectors from Putin’s war in Ukraine.
He was also buried with military honors as part of the funeral held amid heightened security measures at the Troyekurovskoye necropolis in Russia’s capital.
Russia’s most pro-war figures gathered this morning to pay tribute to the pro-Putin blogger
Beside his coffin lay a sinisterly decorated sledgehammer, presented by Wagner’s private army. They have been used by the group for extrajudicial executions of captured defectors
Tatarsky was killed in an explosion at Street Food No. 1 in the center of Saint Petersburg
Tatarsky – also known as Maxim Fomin – was a leading advocate of the war with 600,000 followers on social media.
One mourner today was Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the pro-Putin Wagner private force.
“Today, on behalf of myself and Wagner’s fighters, I want to thank Vladlen Tatarsky,” he said.
“Tatarsky has done much to enable us to go to victory and destroy the enemy.”
It is unclear what “victory” he meant by Russia not making major military gains.
“Thank him for this, we will always remember him,” said Prigozhin, a close ally of Putin who has also criticized the dictator’s leading commanders.
Although Tatarsky had been a pro-war fanatic, he had also criticized Putin’s commanders – leading to speculation that he could have been assassinated by the state.
His funeral came amid claims from a KGB and FSB veteran that Daria Trepova – who presented him with a gold statue with a bomb hidden inside – was also said to have died.
The 26-year-old has been arrested and faces up to 20 years in prison on charges of terrorism.
This despite an ssenior Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev said she was probably only used as a “dumb-headed” accomplice who didn’t know it contained explosives.
Pictured: Vladlen Tatarsky, 40, seen just before the explosion looking at the statue
Vladlen Tatarsky (pictured) was buried today after being killed in a covert bomb attack
Daria Trepova (pictured) handed Tatarsky the golden statue with a bomb hidden inside
A former KGB and FSB major general, Alexander Mikhailov, also said this, claiming she was “waste material” for the perpetrators.
“She was close to the bomb during the explosion,” he said.
“There was a guarantee that she wouldn’t live.
“She did her job – she could be written off.”
Mikhailov added that young people like Trepova were “expendable” and believed Tatarsky’s death was a hit operation from Ukraine.
But for now, it remains unclear who was behind the murder.
“All these cops are being bribed for a can of condensed milk. Real cops are expensive,” he said.
While it currently remains unclear who was behind the killing, a group called the Republican National Army has claimed responsibility in a statement.
It read: “We organized and carried out an action on April 2, 2023 against a group of Z activists and personally against the notorious warmonger and war propagandist, war criminal Maxim Fomin, known as Vladlen Tatarsky.
“This action was prepared and carried out independently by us, and we have no ties to or assistance from foreign structures, especially from the special services.”
Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee claimed Tatarsky’s assassination was engineered by Ukraine’s special services, with the help of agents working with opposition leader Navalny’s anti-corruption foundation.
Crowds of people at the funeral service of Maxim Fomin, commonly known as Vladlen Tatarsky
Hundreds of supporters turned out today to pay their respects to the Russian military blogger
Pictured: People waiting in line to attend the funeral of Russian military blogger Maxim Fomin
Trumpets playing during funeral amid tight security at Troyekurovskoye necropolis
Daria Trepova has been detained and faces 20 years in prison on terrorism charges
Young people like Trepova were said to be ‘expendable’ amid speculation Tatarsky’s death was the result of a hit operation from Ukraine
The Russian Commission of Inquiry said Trepova was acting on orders from “figures in Ukraine.”
The Kremlin propagandist was speaking at a political event in the Street Food cafe No. 1 when the bomb exploded, killing him and injuring more than 40.
At the time, it was believed that he was given an ancient colored figurine made by former art student Trepova to resemble him.
Medvedev blamed the captured, repressed and exiled enemies of the Kremlin for the bombing.
He specifically mentioned anti-Putin leader Alexei Navalny, 46, now imprisoned in Russia and viewed as a political prisoner, his associate Leonid Volkov, 42, now stationed in the West, ex-Russian MP Ilya Ponomarev, 47, now in Ukraine, and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, 59, a prominent opposition campaigner and once Russia’s richest man, in exile in Britain.
In the photo: Vladlen Tatarsky is lowered into the ground, surrounded by numerous supporters
In a vicious threat demanding extrajudicial killings, Medvedev said, “All these stinking… Navalnys, Volkovs, Ponomarevs and other Khodorkovskys have become ordinary terrorists and murderers.
“They voluptuously enjoy seeing the blood of Russian citizens.
‘They flare their nostrils with excitement at the sight of injured and mutilated bodies.
“They piously swore allegiance to darkness and terror, along with the murderers of their native Kyiv, the Nazi regime.”
His sinister threat continues: “Don’t negotiate with terrorists.
“They are exterminated like rabid dogs with poisonous saliva flowing from their mouths.
“No extra pompous words.
‘As soon as the opportunity presents itself. Even if it sometimes takes years.
“Forgiveness does not apply…this is what the highest justice is.”